Natural Products Association Backs DEA's Synthetic 7-OH Scheduling, Says Concentrated Products Are 'Falsely Marketed as Kratom'

Why it matters

The NPA's endorsement of the DEA action signals that the mainstream natural products industry — not just anti-kratom advocates — views synthetic high-concentration 7-OH as a distinct and problematic category, potentially accelerating regulatory momentum.

The big picture

The Natural Products Association represents thousands of businesses across the dietary supplement and natural products sector. By publicly supporting the DEA action and framing synthetic 7-OH as deceptive marketing rather than legitimate kratom, NPA is reinforcing the regulatory distinction between botanical kratom and synthetic derivatives. NPA had previously supported FDA warning letters against 7-OH products in 2025, showing consistent positioning on this issue. The statement also aligns with the broader dietary supplement industry's interest in maintaining clear boundaries between regulated supplements and intoxicating synthetic compounds.

Key findings

• NPA issued a formal commendation of DEA's July 1, 2026 Notice of Intent to temporarily schedule 7-OH and three related substances into Schedule I
• NPA president Daniel Fabricant stated that highly concentrated 7-OH amounts are "falsely marketed as kratom" and have not undergone FDA's new dietary ingredient notification process
• NPA had already publicly supported FDA warning letters against 7-OH-containing products in July 2025
• Fabricat emphasized that all kratom intended for the U.S. market must be supported by evidence of safety and regulatory compliance
• NPA drew a clear distinction between botanical kratom and synthetic intoxicating products, stating that products that get users "high" are not dietary supplements

What they say

"The science clearly establishes that 7-OH is found in trace amounts in the Mitragyna speciosa plant," said Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., president and CEO of NPA. "We remain consistent in our position that highly concentrated amounts of 7-OH are falsely marketed as kratom and have not demonstrated pre-market safety through FDA's new dietary ingredient notification process."

Bottom line

With the Natural Products Association joining government agencies in drawing a line between botanical kratom and synthetic 7-OH products, there is growing industry consensus that synthetic concentrated derivatives are a separate regulatory category requiring strict controls.